The Houston Independent School District will provide free breakfast and lunch to students for the 2020-2021 school year, but parents will still need to fill out a new socioeconomic form.
Because all HISD students qualify for free breakfast and lunch parents will not need to complete and return a free and reduced-price meal application. However, HISD is still required to collect and report the socioeconomic status of each student via a blue form that is then sent to the Texas Education Agency. This ensures campuses receive Title I funding.
Parents must complete and return one form to each school where they have a child enrolled. A form is not needed for pre-K students who have been qualified based on proof of income eligibility or homeless status.
It is very important that families complete the form so that schools can receive Title I and State Compensatory Education funding, which directly impact campuses and students throughout the district. Title I and State Compensatory Education funding can be used to:
- Hire personnel
- Provide tutoring services
- Order technology
- Provide professional development for teachers.
Socioeconomic forms are also utilized in the annual state accountability ratings, ensuring that each campus is compared to other campuses with the same percentage of economically disadvantaged students.
Forms will be made available electronically, and every HISD campus will have paper copies available. All parents should complete and return the form by Friday, Oct. 16. The Public Education Information Management System encompasses all data requested and received by TEA about public education, including student demographic and academic performance, personnel, financial, and organizational information.